Are you planning on a family skiing trip over the winter season or your next vacation? One of the essential accessories you’ll need is a good quality pair of ski goggles. They are crucial in filtering out harmful ultraviolet or UV rays, especially where the air is thinner at a higher altitude. High winds, cold, and debris can also impact your vision, which makes protecting your eyes a priority.
You’ll find many great snow goggles, visors, specialty eye protection for night skiing, anti fog coating, and other features. Skiing eyewear typically comes in two shapes, spherical and cylindrical lenses, with various ventilation methods to prevent condensation build-up.
We tried a variety of skiing goggles to find the glasses with the most comfortable fit, durability, style, and protection when you hit the slopes. Read on for our top picks based on sizing, quality, cost, and technology.
How We Tested and Compared Different Ski Goggles
How well did they fit? Did they shift or slide often or remain comfortable and in place after a day of skiing? We tried various ski goggle brands, styles, and sizes to find which eyewear offers the best value and comfort for the price.
We also considered the goggles’ abilities to filter out harmful UV rays, expand peripheral vision, and adapt to various weather conditions.
Best Budget-Friendly Ski Goggles: Spy Ace Happy Lens Goggles
Overview:
- Size options: one size fits all
- Color options: green, red, grey, and black
- Materials: Silicone strap, polyurethane frame
- Activities: Skiing and snowboarding
- Other Features: Anti fog, scoop ventilation, and anti-scratch coating
What We Like About It
This modern ski goggle features two lenses so that you can adjust for brightness on sunny or low light days. We found the optical quality good, and the strap and goggles are made from durable materials, so you won’t have to change the lenses often, and they fit well to your face. It’s a great pair of goggles to buy if you’re a beginner, as they are affordable and ideal for snowboarding and skiing.
We found this pair of goggles ideal for first-time skiers. They are affordable, offer two spare lenses, and offer breathability, so you won’t experience foggy vision from condensation.
What We Don’t Like
While Spy Ace Happy Lens is an excellent bargain with decent quality. Depending on your style, you may find that the goggles don’t fit as well for specific face shapes or around your helmet. The strap’s durability can be an issue, and wearing these goggles can prove uncomfortable for some people based on their accessories.
What Past Buyers Had to Say
Generally, beginner and novice skiers are content with these ski goggles. They provide excellent optical quality and support for snowboarding, skiing, and other winter activities. Despite some challenges in adjusting these goggles to specific face shapes, they offer excellent visibility and protection on the slopes without a high price tag.
Best Ski Goggles to Accommodate Prescription Glasses: Oakley Fall Line L Prizm Goggles
Overview:
- Size options: one size (large)
- Color options: Sage gold, jade, grey, black and white, red, sapphire
- Materials: Silicone and moisture-wicking foam to reduce condensation
- Activities: Skiing in all weather conditions
- Other Features: Oversized, fits well with helmet, and accommodates prescription eyewear
What We Like About It
Oakley’s premium goggles are excellent for all types of snow and weather conditions. They don’t fit too closely to your face, so you can easily wear prescription glasses without discomfort. We found the peripheral vision well-designed, without any tunneling or reduced visibility.
You also receive moisture prevention with high-grade foam and silicone materials that eliminate fogging so that you can enjoy skiing or snowboarding in all types of weather. We also found these effective as snowboard goggles, with outstanding durability and quality design.
What We Don’t Like
If you need a spare lens, you’ll need to purchase them separately to keep on hand in case a replacement is needed.
What Past Buyers Had to Say
Overall, Oakley’s Prizm Goggles are a great buy and provide exceptional vision so that you can enjoy an unobstructed view as you hit the trails or slopes. A key feature that stands out is the exceptional ventilation and anti fog coating, which prevents fogging, whether skiing in Arctic regions or moderate, just-below-freezing temperatures. It’s a great buy with great durability and various stylish designs and colors.
Best Women’s Ski Goggles: Smith I/O MAG S Goggles – Women’s
Overview:
- Size options: One size (small to medium)
- Color options: Green, rose gold, violet, fuchsia, white
- Materials: Silicone and face foam to restrict moisture build-up
- Activities: Skiing and snowboarding, all weather conditions
- Other Features: Designed for women; anti fog coating and ventilation features
What We Like About It
Smith goggles are premium quality and designed for all types of skiing and snowboarding activities. With proper care, we could use them all season without any special maintenance. The foam around the frames fits nicely, and the strap is durable and strong. Even after a few months of use, you may see a slight scratch, though the overall condition of these goggles lasts easily for one or more seasons.
What We Don’t Like
These fantastic goggles are pricy, so if you’re looking for a pair of affordable protective ski eyewear, you’ll likely want to choose another brand.
What Past Buyers Had to Say
Smith Optics offers excellent UV protection, visibility, and a variety of frame sizes and lenses, so you can find the right fit. While you’ll pay more for Smith I/O Mag Goggles, you’ll enjoy the quality built of these lenses, which provide a triple layer of foam, an interchangeable lens system, and a low bridge option to accommodate certain facial features.
Best Standard Ski Goggles: Oakley Target Line M Goggles – Unisex
Overview:
- Size options: Three size options
- Color options: Violet, red/orange, persimmon, yellow
- Materials: Silicone and O-Matter brand frame
- Activities: Skiing and snowboarding, all weather conditions
- Other Features: High-definition optics, compatible with prescription glasses
What We Like About It
Oakley’s Target Line ski goggles are stylish, sleek, and offer a wide range of view that’s ideal in a variety of light conditions, with a frame designed to accommodate Oakley helmets. It’s a great, functional design and one of the best ski goggles for a mid-sized fit, with options to adjust and accommodate your face shape.
They also provide excellent lens technology, including impact resistance, high-definition optics, triple-layer face foam, and an anti fog coating to maintain clear and unobstructed vision.
Each lens is designed for different lighting and weather conditions, such as sun and clouds, overcast, and snow. They are also equipped to handle low light during evening skiing and snowboarding.
What We Don’t Like
Is there anything not to like about these incredible ski goggles? The only drawback is the limited availability of replacement lenses, which are not always available through Oakley’s retail shops, though you may find them online. It’s important to check which type of lenses are available before buying a pair of Target Line goggles to be certain you have extras.
What Past Buyers Had to Say
Whether you’re a beginner or advanced, Oakley’s Target Line goggles are a top favorite among many skiers and snowboarders. They are also easy on the budget, so you won’t pay a high price for a good quality pair of goggles.
Best Technologically Advanced Ski Goggles: Giro Contour Goggles + Vivid Smoke/Vivid Infrared Lens
Overview:
- Size options: One size fits all
- Color options: One color (black/grey)
- Materials: Triple-layer face foam with microfleece facing
- Activities: Skiing and snowboarding, all weather conditions
- Other Features: Expansive View Technology
What We Like About It
If you’re looking for the ultimate ski goggles and are prepared to invest a few hundred dollars in high-quality lenses, the Giro Countour Goggles + Vivid Smoke are among the best. These goggles are made with expansive view technology, which gives you an impressive field of view, so you’ll greatly reduce any blind spots. The frames are large and stylish, so you’ll enjoy the benefits of a quality but functional pair of goggles.
Giro Countour Goggles are so comfortable that you can wear them all day without irritation or adjusting them as they remain in place. This feature is specifically essential as you ride bumpy hills and areas. Our favorite feature is the magnetic lens change system, making them quick and easy to replace without hassle. These goggles are also compatible with Giro helmets, leaving no gap in between.
What We Don’t Like
While Giro offers everything you’ll need on the slopes, including innovative technology and design, durability is one area where these goggles fall short. You may find that you’ll need a replacement pair sooner than expected. So while these specialized ski goggles are expensive and worth the investment, you may consider a backup pair.
What Past Buyers Had to Say
Giro Countour Goggles + Vivid Smoke is an excellent choice for all skiing and snowboarding levels. While durability may not be the top feature, most people find Giro goggles comparable to other brands and typically last just as long. Overall, it’s worth the cost for the innovative technology, excellent fit, and comfort you’ll enjoy.
How to Choose the Best Ski Goggle: Buying Guide
Ski goggles provide the protection you need at high altitudes to enjoy your day on the slopes without the risk of blurred vision, ice particles, high winds, and snow. The shape, size, light transmission, ventilation, and style are among many features to consider when you choose a quality pair of ski or snowboard goggles. You’ll also want to select protective eyewear based on your budget, the level of UV protection, lenses, and durability.
Lens Shape
The shape of the lens and how well it fits are crucial parts of choosing the right goggle. Typically, lenses are either spherical or flat (cylindrical). We prefer spherical lenses simply because the very nature of their shape prevents glare, and they offer excellent peripheral vision and little or no distortion. The only drawback is their price, which is significantly more than cylindrical or flat lenses.
Flat lenses are more cost-efficient, curving towards the sides and across your face and eyes. While there are some great cylindrical lens options, they tend to cause more glare and limit the amount of peripheral vision. As both types of lens shapes function well if they are made with quality materials, it’s important to review your options before deciding which shape is best for you.
Lens Color
The color of your goggles’ lenses are not just aesthetic; they provide various filters to emphasize brightness and colors or reduce glare and sharpen visibility. These factors impact the VLT, or visible light transmission, which is the level of light that reaches your eyes through the goggles’ lens.
Yellow, amber, green, gold and rose-tinted lenses are ideal for high VLT, especially when the weather is overcast or cloudy. Dark tints have reduced VLT, which makes them ideal for bright, sunny days. Lenses with a dark tint are typically brown, grey, or copper. Clear lenses are ideal for skiing at night, as they offer the clearest visibility.
Ventilation Options
Fog and condensation build-up can impact your vision, and ventilation plays an important role in eliminating this problem. There are many ventilation systems to consider, such as double-layered lenses, which provide a thermal layer to reduce fogging.
Vents on the top, bottom, and sides of goggles allow for airflow, reducing condensation, though it can become uncomfortable in extremely cold temperatures. Anti fog coating is a convenient, cost-effective option for many goggles of all price ranges, as they minimize fog build-up so you can see clearly.
If you want to purchase a more high-end or premium goggle, you will find unique solutions for ventilation, including small, battery-operated fans that reduce moisture. These are ideal when waiting in line to use the ski lift or going down the slope.
Final Thoughts
The best goggle for skiing is high-quality, well-ventilated, and durable. While you may find some ski goggles provide less durability in exchange for superior design, or visibility, you’ll want to focus on which elements are most important on the slope.
If you’re a beginner or buying goggles for children, a sturdy, safe pair of protective goggles is a must. Eventually, you may opt for more custom solutions or features, such as tints, enhanced visibility, and innovative designs.
FAQs
What are polarized lenses?
Polarized lenses provide a filter that reduces glare from the sun as it reflects off of water, ice, or snow.
Why is padding essential for goggles?
Padding, usually made with foam, provides a cushion around your face, so there is no pinching or discomfort when wearing goggles. A thick, secure padding should prevent fogging.
What are OTG or Over-the-glass style goggles?
If you wear prescription glasses, you’ll want large and spacious goggles to fit over your glasses. These OTG goggles can easily accommodate your prescription eyewear while keeping them free of fog or condensation. You can use an anti fog coating on your prescription glasses and goggles to improve this effect.